


Waking Up From The Dream

by Lollikins



Series: What Dreams May Come [5]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Bottom Kang Yeosang, Boys In Love, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Top Park Seonghwa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:07:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29630913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lollikins/pseuds/Lollikins
Summary: With their dreamlike, blissful weekend behind them, it's time to face the reality.
Relationships: Kang Yeosang/Park Seonghwa
Series: What Dreams May Come [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169861
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Waking Up From The Dream

Yeosang lay in his bed staring at his phone. He wanted to call Seonghwa, just to tell him goodnight. What he needed to do was text Oh Eunju and let her know he needed to see her. He couldn’t be with Seonghwa until he called off this whole wedding nonsense. He doubted that Oh Eunju felt anymore for him than he did for her. It seemed extremely unlikely that her parents couldn’t find her another match, an even better one. She should be the one dating a director and not a secretary. Granted, the plan had been for him to work his way up through the company but that was still a ways off. There wouldn’t be an executive position for him until after the new year. 

In truth, he liked his job and hadn’t been eager to move up but it was expected of him. Now he was wondering if maybe he shouldn’t look for something else. Something else his parents would throw a fit about, they wanted him as part of the company. He wished he had met Seonghwa sooner but even if he had, it would have still meant a showdown with his family. 

He sighed and shot off a message to Oh Eunju asking her if they could meet. She didn’t message him back immediately, no surprise it was pretty late and she was likely sleeping. 

He switched off his phone and went to sleep. 

Yeosang woke up late and found himself in a rush come the morning. It wasn’t until he got to work he realized he had forgotten his phone. He borrowed one of the work handsets for the day. He spent the first hour trying to work but mostly peeking up at Seonghwa’s door. This was work and he was his boss. He had a ton of work to do and he really needed to do it. He glanced at the clock and realized he was well overdue for their morning meeting. 

He knocked, “Come in.” 

Seonghwa was seated on his sofa reading when Yeosang entered. It was almost painful how beautiful he was in his tailored suit but then again, he looked amazing in everything he had seen him in, even in the sweats he had worn over their weekend together. He shook himself and hurried over to sit across from him, “I’m sorry I’m late.” 

“Are you just getting in?” Seonghwa asked curiously.

“No, I’m just behind this morning. I usually bring you the morning report about half an hour earlier. 

“So you do.” Seonghwa smiled at him and leaned closer, “Did you sleep well last night?” 

“I slept better the night before.” Why did he say that? He shouldn’t be bringing up their weekend, certainly not during office hours. Seonghwa’s smile widened and all of the sudden he remembered what he said he would do when he came in to give him the morning report. Great. Now he was hard. 

Seonghwa glanced down and licked his lips looking every bit the predator as Yeosang crossed his legs to try to hide how hard he was. “I would like very much to pull you into my lap right now and … discuss things with you but I promised. I don’t want to make this any harder on you than it already is. I don’t suppose you’ve talked to your financée yet have you?” 

“No, not yet. I texted her and told her we needed to meet. I’ll call it off with her then and after I talk to my family… it’ll be done.” He was both filled with trepidation and eager to have it over and done with. Oh Eunju was an intelligent and capable woman, he was sure the last thing in the world she needed was a man who didn’t care for her. He kept telling himself this but she had agreed to the wedding the same as he had. Either she liked him, which he couldn’t imagine, or she just did what her family told her. If it was the former, he felt sorry for her but it couldn’t be helped. It would only be worse for her if her husband was in love with someone else. He would just grow to resent her and eventually be unkind because of that resentment. No matter how it went, it would be all for the best. 

Seonghwa reached out and laid his hand over Yeosang’s and gave him a reassuring smile. Yeosang realized he had slipped into his thoughts and smiled in return as he shook himself free. Yeosang took Seonghwa’s hand and for a moment laced their fingers together with a sigh, yes. Yes this was what he wanted, this was who he wanted. There was no question in his mind or in his heart. 

“There will be time for us soon enough.” 

“Yes, I’ll make sure of it. For now though …” 

“Yes, for now - the morning report.” 

Yeosang nodded and leaned back before he began to tell Seonghwa all of the pertinent information that he needed for the day and any news he might have missed since Friday. 

When he went back out to his desk a while later, Oh Eunju was sitting there waiting for him. “You didn’t answer your phone so I came to have lunch with you. I thought it might be important.” 

“Oh, yes. I was in a rush this morning and forgot my phone. It’s the first time it’s ever happened.” He lay his clipboard down on his desk as she rose to meet him. He checked the clock and it was just about lunch time. “Let’s go, you can choose where.” 

She beamed a smile and slipped her arm through the crook of Yeosang’s as they made their way to the elevator’s. She started talking about the wedding and how she had been looking at various dresses. The wedding she wanted was an elaborate affair, he could only imagine what she wanted. He didn’t particularly want a huge wedding but his father had said it was best to just let your wife have her way over the wedding. But this was a wedding that simply wasn’t to be. When was a good point to break up with someone? He could do it at the restaurant but he didn’t relish the idea of having a drink thrown in his face. He also didn’t want to humiliate her in public. Maybe they could go for a walk afterward, he could tell her then. 

They made their way down in the elevator, “Did you bring your car?” 

“No, Wooyoung has it.” 

“Why do you let your roommate drive your car?” Eunju asked. 

“It’s harder for him to get to work on public transport and the subway stop is only two blocks from where I work. It just makes more sense.” 

“Daddy didn’t buy you the car to give to your roommate.” she sulked. 

“No, I’m sure he didn’t. I didn’t want the car in the first place Oh Eunju. I rarely have reason to drive it and I knew I wouldn’t when it was given to me. That was why I tried to refuse it. Besides, I didn’t give it to him. He’s driving it when I wouldn’t be. I would have taken the subway to work even if I wasn’t letting Wooyoung use it.” He hated having to explain himself over something that seemed so very obvious. 

“Fine, let’s take a taxi then.” He glanced down at her impossibly high heels and nodded. He could see why she wouldn’t want to walk long distances in those things. They were definitely chosen by fashion rather than practicality. 

They went to a restaurant that was far fancier than he would have normally gone to on his lunch hour. He probably would have gone to one of the many restaurants in the immediate area of his office if he had been left to his own devices. 

“Oh Eunju…” Yeosang started. 

“It’s only four more months before the wedding, there is still so much to do. My mother said that I could just leave it all to her and your mother but you’ve seen my mother’s taste, I couldn’t begin to trust her with all of the design choices. Your mother is much more elegant and understated. It’s probably the difference between how they were raised.” 

Eunju was a beautiful woman and he had heard her talk like this a thousand times but it had never struck him so negatively before. In all honesty, while he had heard her, he had never really listened. She seemed somehow less beautiful than she had to him before. He had the feeling his emotions were colored, he had been repainted in Seonghwa’s colors and was happy for it. Maybe he shouldn’t wait, maybe it would be cruel to let her go on and on about a wedding that wasn’t going to take place… He tried again, “Oh Eunju, about the wedding…” 

“What about it?” She nibbled at her food like a bird. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was for his benefit or if she really ate like that when she was alone or with her friends. 

“I don’t think we should get married.” There he said it. 

She stared at him as if what he had just said had been in an entirely different language. “Why ever not?” 

He took a slow deep breath, “I don’t love you.” 

“What’s that got to do with anything? I don’t expect your love, only children expect partnerships for love. I expect we get married and our marriage makes lots of money for our families and we benefit from that as well. Really Yeosang, I thought you were more practical than this.” 

Okay, he really hadn’t been expecting this reaction. She clearly didn’t love him either but she didn’t think that mattered. 

“We’re a good match, it’d be ridiculous to call off the marriage for something as silly as you don’t love me. It’s that Wooyoung isn’t it? He talked you into this.” She frowned deeply. 

“Once we get married you won’t see him as much.” She said it as if the lack of Wooyoung changed everything, like it would be doing him a favor to remove Wooyoung from his life. There were a million ways he could correct her on that one. Wooyoung knew more about him than she did and at the moment, he was sure that his best friend cared more about him than she did. 

“There’s someone else.” He said suddenly. Honestly he hadn’t been planning on bringing up the fact that he was in love with someone else but her lack of caring about any sort of emotional aspect of marriage had thrown him for a loop. 

“And?” 

He stared at her blankly. 

“Kang Yeosang, you surely can’t mean that you’re going to carry out this ridiculous relationship with Director Park are you.” 

His jaw dropped and his heart rate picked up, “What?” 

“Do you really think I don’t know what you get up to? I know you spent the weekend with him. How do you think your relationship would affect his career? One little word and his career would be completely destroyed. Do you think he would still want you if you ruined the career he’s fought so hard for? Look, after the wedding, I honestly don’t care what you do as long as it doesn’t come back on the family. If you keep your disgusting little relationship quiet you can do what you want. But we are getting married in the fall.” 

Yeosang gaped at her, he really was speechless. She was going to blackmail him to keep him in line. He felt suddenly sick to his stomach. He stood up. 

“Where are you going?” she asked in a saccharine sweet tone. 

He didn’t say a word, just turned and walked out of the restaurant. The worst part was he knew she was right. She could very well destroy Seonghwa’s career with a word. What should he do? 

He pulled out his phone and texted So-Hye and asked her to keep an eye out for Director Park, an emergency had come up. She texted him back and wished him well and hoped that it was nothing too serious. Instead of going home or back to the office, he went to Wooyoung’s restaurant. They weren’t open yet but he would be there doing prep. He lingered around the backdoor for ages before he finally knocked. The head chef Bo Bong-Ki opened the door, “Oh hey, Yeosang. JUNG WOOYOUNG!” 

He almost smiled at the thought they knew him so well at Wooyoung’s place of work. Wooyoung appeared at the door a couple of minutes later. He took one look at Yeosang and his surprise was replaced by concern, “What happened? What’s wrong? You look like death warmed over.” 

“I- I don’t even know where to begin.” he said and sat down on the low wall that ran around the building. “What time do you get off?” 

“Let me see if I can get someone to work for me. Hang on. Don’t move. Seriously, if you move I’ll kill you.” Wooyoung stood there for a minute watching Yeosang to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere before he went back inside and called a couple of people before having a word with his chef. 

Wooyoung reappeared, “Come on, let’s go.” 

They got into the car and before they made it halfway home, Wooyoung was cursing up a storm and plotting ways to kill Oh Eunju. “That fucking bitch.”

Yeosang just sighed, “What do I do?” 

That one was one that Wooyoung was less clear on. He knew that Yeosang would feel guilty for the rest of his life if his lover’s career was destroyed by his vindictive financée but likewise he would be miserable for the rest of his life if he married that fucking shrew. If he didn’t know that she knew that he didn’t like her, he would have taken one for the team and tried to seduce her. He knew he was good looking and could be charming when he wanted to be. He had no shortage of female companionship but he had had it out with her a few times and there was no way she would believe that he liked her all of the sudden. What they needed was something on her. “How did she know that you spent the weekend with him. I didn’t even know.” 

“I can only assume she’s got someone following me… or something.” He crossed his arms over his stomach. “I feel sick.” 

“I don’t blame you. It can’t be fun to find out that your private business isn’t private at all and someone wants to use it against you.” Not to mention that sometimes it was just easier to be sick than depressed. 

“Maybe we should go to the library and research how to make a voodoo doll.” Wooyoung offered. 

Yeosang didn’t laugh, he just thunked his head against the window. 

“Okay, not as funny as I had hoped. Maybe you should talk to Seonghwa about it, he might have a better idea as to what can be done than I do. If worse comes to worse though, I’ll help you hide the body.” 

Now Yeosang gave a small smile. He had absolutely no doubt that if he did kill someone that Wooyoung would absolutely help him hide the body the whole time supporting him. Should he talk to Seonghwa about it? He honestly didn’t know what would be best. Despite what she might have thought, he had a lifetime of wanting built up. His entire life he had never wanted anything at all for himself but for the first time he was tasting true desire and while it might be selfish, he couldn’t just let it go. He had resolved that he was going to fight for Park Seonghwa and that was exactly what he was going to do. 

Seonghwa sat at his desk, occasionally checking his phone. He wasn’t sure what happened with Yeosang and the girl who he left with but he didn’t come back. What was more, he found that his calls had been forwarded to Mr. Noh’s secretary, who said she would be helping him for the rest of the day. He could only assume that something dire had happened. He wanted to call him to find out what it was but he wasn’t answering his phone either. He was trying not to be alarmist but it was hard when the person he cared about might be suffering. As soon as he finished up what he was doing, he headed over to Yeosang’s place and waited. The place was dark with the lights out, that made it all the easier to see the person who was seated in a car not too far away smoking a cigarette. When he inhaled, it lit up enough to see the camera that the man had on his dashboard. 

It didn’t take a huge leap of logic to realize the man was watching someone but not having any reason to be suspicious, he merely took note of the man and the car. It was a good deal later when a car pulled up to the house and a man got out. The man walked around to the passenger’s side and pulled out an apparently very drunk Yeosang. No wonder he wasn’t answering his phone. Seonghwa got out of his car and jogged across the street to help. Wooyoung was immediately on his guard until he told him who he was. “Well, well, well… pleased to meet you. I’m Jung Wooyoung. Can you take him while I open the door.” 

He hefted Yeosang, who was barely conscious and draped the drunken man’s arm around his neck as he half carried him toward the front door with Wooyoung in the lead. Yeosang’s head fell back and he looked up at Seonghwa. “Am I dreaming?” 

“No, you’re drunk.” Seonghwa answered. 

“I have way too many clothes on to be dreaming and so are you.” Seonghwa winced as he had no idea whether or not Yeosang would be wanting Wooyoung to hear this or not. For his part Wooyoung looked highly amused. Yeosang reached for Seonghwa’s collar and started trying to loosen his tie. 

“How about we wait until we get inside, then you can take off your clothes.” 

This made perfect sense to Yeosang but it was hot and he wanted to take them off now. Still he nodded which if Seonghwa hadn’t been holding him upright would have sent him to the concrete. Seonghwa carried Yeosang into the house and deposited him onto the sofa where he immediately started pulling his clothes off… or was trying to and making a hash of it. He was trying to pull one sock off by the toe, which wasn’t working. All he managed to do was knock himself off the couch. Yeosang really didn’t seem like the type to cut work to go get drunk. “What happened?” 

Wooyoung sighed as he watched Yeosang having trapped himself in his coat and entirely unable to get out of it. “I take it he didn’t tell you about what happened with his finacée. I’m not sure if I should tell you or not, it’s really his place.” 

“If you would prefer I hear it from Yeosang, I’ll wait. Here, I’ll help. I think we should probably put him to bed at least.” 

Wooyoung stood watching as Seonghwa patiently helped Yeosang out of his coat and the better part of his clothes. He could tell by how gentle he was with the infuriating drunk that he cared. That was enough for Woo to see, he approved. “Here, his room is this way. Yeosang, come on let’s go to bed.” 

“I don’t want to go to bed with you, I want to go to bed with Park Park Park Seonghwa. I sounded like a chicken.” He giggled as if what he said were funniest words anyone had ever uttered. 

Wooyoung snickered, “Well he’s right here, why don’t you let him take you to bed?” 

Yeosang grabbed his discarded shirt and held it up to his chest as if he were trying to preserve his modesty. “I can’t do that when you’re here.” 

He leaned closer to Seonghwa and whispered the loudest anyone had ever whispered, “He might hear us!” 

“Then how about we just go to sleep?” Seonghwa asked. 

“But I want to do other stuff.” He tried to give Seonghwa a sexy pout and exaggerated wink which failed utterly. 

Wooyoung lost it laughing, “I should really be recording this.” 

“He would be so embarrassed.” 

“That’s why I should be recording it.” 

“Yeosang.” Seonghwa said. 

Yeosang did his best to focus on him, “You’re Park Seonghwa!” 

Seonghwa cast a look over to Wooyoung but he really couldn’t think of any other way to try to get him to budge. “Come on baby, let’s go to bed.” 

The slightly drunken dopey look on Yeosang’s face fell and he looked back at Seonghwa, “I don’t want to ruin everything for you. You should leave me behind, forget about me. It would probably be best for you.”

Seonghwa didn’t have any idea what in the world Yeosang was talking about, “What do you mean?” 

“I should break up with you for your own good. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are and if you stay with me it’ll all go boom.” Yeosang made an explosion sound. “But I don’t want you to go. I love you.” 

Well the cat was out of the bag, sort of. Wooyoung sighed and pushed away from the back of the couch he had been leaning against. He really didn’t feel like he should be hearing this but at the moment he didn’t really have a choice. “Let’s just carry him. His bedroom is this way.” 

Seonghwa was shaken, both by the confession and the strange ramblings. It took some effort but they both finally managed to deposit him in his bed. It took a little bit more work before they got him into his pajamas and tucked in. “I’ll go get him some medicine, he’ll need it in the morning.” 

Wooyoung nodded, “You’re not going to ask?”

“You thought it would be better if I hear it from him.” Seonghwa paused for a moment, “I’ll be back.” 

“Alright.” Wooyoung looked down at Yeosang who was snoring quietly and squeezing a stuffed animal. He looked so drunk. 

Seonghwa stopped and got Yeosang some hangover medicine as well as stopping and buying him some hangover soup for the morning as well. With the bags in hand, he went back and delivered them to Wooyoung, “Tell him he can come in late when he wakes up in the morning.” 

“I haven’t ever said this before to any of Yeosang’s girlfriends or even his fiancée. You seem like a good guy and I’m glad he found you. I think his heart is a lot more delicate than it seems, please take good care of it.” Wooyoung smiled down at the bag, “I’ll be sure I tell him.” 

Seonghwa wasn’t entirely sure what to say to that but he smiled, “Thank you. Pleasure meeting you.” 

“The pleasure was all mine.” They bid each other goodnight and Seonghwa headed home. 


End file.
